EP0218109A1 - Process and device for the automatic display of coloured maps - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Method for displaying coloured maps on a high resolution colour picture screen of a map display system with a pixel memory, in the case of which the printed films which are used for printing the maps and contain the black/white pattern each associated with a printing colour, are scanned in a linear manner, and the resultant data files are stored together with a geographic reference co-ordinate datum in mass storage forming part of the display system and from there are transferred as required into the pixel memory, characterised in that a) the resultant data files are prepared, the individual printed layers, as during the printing process, being superimposed and it being established for each individual pixel which print colours are involved at this point and only the colour which has the highest priority according to a previously established priority sequence being fixed in the associated image data file and all other colours of this point being cancelled ; b) an allocation table for colour codes and colour tones is input into a video look-up table forming part of the display system ; and c) the content of the pixel memory is displayed on the high resolution colour picture screen, the associated colour tone being allocated to the colour code of each pixel by means of the video look-up table.

Description

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the automatic display of colored maps on a high-resolution color screen of a map display system with pixel memory, in which the black and white printing foils used for printing the maps are automatically displayed on the color screen.

In conventional geographical information display, working with maps has so far essentially been tied to the medium of paper. For different areas of application, there are maps with different information content, which are generally application-specific Overprints can be made on an existing basic map material. Various techniques are used to display quickly changing additional information, such as those that arise, for example, in military situation depictions. This includes drawing and plotting on paper cards or foils placed over the card; the representation on transparent plasma displays, on the back of which the corresponding map is projected by a slide, film or microfiche; Representation on projection surfaces, with the positional representation being projected one above the other by means of a laser projector and the map by means of a map projector. A high level of equipment is required for these processes, which represents the map and the overlay with different processes. They are not suitable for computer-controlled processing and transmission of the combined cards / overlay information to other workplaces. Various methods for displaying maps on color raster screens are also known. For example, Ferranti-Inertial Systems Department, Edingburgh / Scotland and Bendix-Flight, Systems Division use a method with which maps recorded on 35 mm film are recorded with a color video camera and displayed on a monitor via video signal . The selected map section is positioned in front of the camera by appropriate film transport (Ferranti COMED 2036 Combined Display and Bendix MAP Reader System brochures). In another known method from Heidenhain, Traunreut, described in Wehrtechnik 1 / January 1984 (special print), maps displayed on micro-slides are projected onto a focusing screen using a projector. The necessary colored structures are produced by applying a plurality of dielectric layers of materials with different optical properties one above the other in a high vacuum. The colored structures result from interference in these superimposed layers. In another method known and used by Perceptronics and Marconi VORAS, maps are recorded on 35 mm film, which is then transferred to video tape. A copy of this video tape is stored analogously on a video image plate (Perceptronics Video Disc Mapping Capabilities Briefing, February 28, 1984, TVM-Tactical Video Map System and Marconi Space and Defense System, VORAS-Video overlay resource availability system (brochures). Finally, from DD-PS 227 549 a method and an arrangement for compressing pixels when scanning colored originals is known, in which in order to avoid complete data storage while at the same time ensuring high resolution, a pairwise comparison of adjacent pixels within a line and between multiple lines. With a circuit arrangement using two comparators, the most highly rated digital color code is read out and fed to further processing.

The method exclusively describes the scanning of colored originals, whereby only the pixels contained therein are compressed. It is therefore not possible to process the data material obtained directly without a detour because the database is generated within a computer. The method is only the first step to further processing, which requires an additional computer. With these known methods, maps can only be displayed on screens as map sections without the possibility of providing and displaying them with rapidly changing additional information. It is also not possible to simultaneously display rapidly changing information locally at several workplaces or to transmit them to remote workplaces for further processing by means of fast data transmission paths.

The object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus with which it is possible to print black and white printing foils from colored maps which are scanned line by line are present on a data carrier and in the form of data stocks on a high-resolution color raster screen so that a true-to-original image of the map is created and that rapidly changing information is automatically visible on the map image thus generated. In addition, this information should be able to be transferred to several local and remote workplaces without delay.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the characterizing features of claim 1. Advantageous developments result from the subclaim.

The invention has the advantage that the black and white printing foils used to produce the map material serve as the starting material. For example, for a 1: 50,000 map, four black / white printing foils are used, which correspond to the four printing colors black, blue, brown and green. These printing foils, including their reference points, are scanned line by line, for example with a resolution of 100 or 200 μm. The result is four databases (data files) with M (points / line) x N (number of lines or points / column) x 1 bit information. The resulting data sets are working in two steps prepared automatically. In the first step, the individual printing foils are placed on top of one another as during the printing process, it being determined for each individual pixel which printing inks are involved at this point. A predetermined order of priority only sets the color in the associated image database (image file) that has the higher priority. All other colors of this point will be deleted from your image database. In the second step, a color code is assigned to each color of each pixel. The resulting image database then contains, for example, 1024 x 1024 or 2048 x 2048 x N bits, where 2 N <is the number of colors to be displayed, as well as an assignment table which specifies which color code which color (shares of R, G, B ) corresponds.

For the display, the image database is stored on the mass storage (for example a digital laser disk) of a map display system together with a geographical reference coordinate information and from there it is entered into the image storage of the display system. At the same time, the assignment table for color code and color tone is loaded into the image coloring unit (video lookup table) of a video AD converter. When displaying the pixel memory content on the high-resolution color The raster screen is assigned to the color code of each pixel (pixel) the associated hue via the image coloring unit.

Exemplary embodiments are described below and explained by sketches.

• Figuren 1 bis 4 Abbildungen von verschiedenen Druckfolien (Layer) der Farben einer Landkarte,
• Figuren 5 bis 8 Abbildungen der Druckfolien gemäß Figuren 1 bis 4 nach erfolgter Bildaufbereitung,
• Figur 9 eine aus den Druckfolien und nach der Bildaufbereitung gemäß den Figuren 1 bis 8 resultierende Abbildung auf dem Farbrasterbildschirm,
• Figur 10 ein Blockschaltbild einer Vorrichtung zur Landkartendarstellung (ohne Peripheriegeräte),
• Figur 11 Funktion Landkartenfensterverschieben der Vorrichtung zur Landkartendarstellung.

Show it:

• FIGS. 1 to 4 images of different printing foils (layers) of the colors of a map,
• FIGS. 5 to 8 illustrations of the printing foils according to FIGS. 1 to 4 after image processing has taken place,
• FIG. 9 shows an image on the color raster screen resulting from the printing foils and after the image preparation according to FIGS. 1 to 8,
• FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of a device for displaying maps (without peripheral devices),
• FIG. 11 function of moving the map window of the device for displaying maps.

The images of a section of a map that can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 4 are the result after the creation of the database for printing the map provided image or layer foils (layer). The color separations are created according to the printing foils used to print the map. The image sections shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are shown as black layers (FIG. 1), blue layers (FIG. 2), brown layers (FIG. 3) and green layers (FIG. 4) after the creation of the data sets. Figure 1 shows the entire map information, Figures 2 to 4 each the color information contained in the map. The colors contained in the map and the printing foils used for printing can be shifted against each other.

Figures 5 to 8 show images after the first step of image processing has taken place. The image or layer foils used in this case contain the color present in the original (map), whereby only the color in the associated image or layer foil that has been rated with the highest priority is determined by a predetermined sequence of priority. All remaining colors are deleted. Prior to this, the individual image or layer foils are superimposed, similar to the printing process, and for each individual pixel it is determined which colors are contained in this pixel. As a result, new image or layer films are used as black layers with the entire contents of the map (FIG. 5), blue layers with ent speaking blue portion (Figure 6), brown layers with the corresponding brown portion (Figure 7) and green layers with the corresponding green portion (Figure 8) obtained (eg from a map 1: 50,000). In the second step, a color code is assigned to each color of each pixel. The resulting image or layer film then contains, for example, 1024 x 1024 or 2048 x 2048 x N bits, where 2 ^N <number of colors to be displayed, as well as a table from which it is taken which color code which color the R, G, B shares corresponds.

Each of the image or layer films is stored with its image database (image file) on a map display system on a mass storage device, e.g. a digital laser disk is stored together with a geographic reference coordinate information. From there, the image file is loaded into a pixel memory of the map display system, the color code to color assignment table being simultaneously entered into a video lookup table (image coloring unit) of a video AD converter. When the pixel memory content is displayed on a high-resolution color screen, the color code of each pixel is assigned the associated color tone via the video lookup table. The resulting color image of the map is shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of a device for displaying maps, with which the automatic functions are carried out. The peripheral devices necessary for operation such as high-resolution color monitor, mass storage, digital laser disk, high-resolution color raster printer, color camera and operating devices are not shown, since these are commercially available devices.

• - jede beliebige auf dem Massenspeicher digitale Laserdisk vorhandene Landkarte mit der Referenz-Koordinateninformation auf ein Kommando des Benutzers automatisch und unverzüglich in 1 bis 2 Sekunden vom Massenspeicher in den Bildpunktspeicher zu laden,
• - die zugehörige Farbcode/Farbton-Zuordnungstabelle automatisch in die Bild-Einfärbeinheit mit einem 3 x 8 Bit Code, der 2²⁴ Farbtöne ermöglicht, zu laden,
• - den Inhalt des Bildpunktspeichers automatisch, über die Einfärbeinheit entsprechend den Landkartenfarben eingefärbt, bildpunktgenau und geographisch koordinatengetreu auf dem hochauflösenden (1024 x 1024 Bildpunkte) Farbrasterbildschirm sichtbar zu machen,
• - das an das auf dem Farbrasterbildschirm sichtbare Landkartengebiet angrenzende Landkartengebiet automatisch vom Massenspeicher in den für den Benutzer nicht sichtbaren Teil des insgesamt 2048 x 2048 Bildpunkte großen Bildpunktspeichers zu laden (vergleiche Figur 11),
• - das angrenzende, im für den Benutzer nicht sichtbaren Teil des Bildpunktspeichers gespeicherte Landkartengebiet bei Verschiebung des Farbraster-Bildschirmfensters in beliebige Richtungen automatisch sichtbar zu machen (vergleiche Figur 11),
• - in den nach dem Verschieben des Farbraster-Bildschirmfensters jetzt nicht sichtbaren Teil des Bildpunktspeichers kontinuierlich in 256 x 256 Bildpunkte großen Nachladeelementen die angrenzenden Landkartengebiete automatisch vom Massenspeicher nachzuladen und automatisch bei Erreichen dieses Gebietes auf dem Farbrasterbildschirm sichtbar zu machen (vergleiche Figur 11),
• - den Inhalt des Bildpunktspeichers (Landkarte und/oder Zusatzinformationen) automatisch wieder aus dem Bildpunktspeicher auszulesen und entweder auf dem Massenspeicher z.B. zu Dokumentationszwecken abzuspeichern oder über eine schnelle Datenstrecke auf mehrere lokale und auch entfernt liegende Arbeitsplätze verzögerungsfrei zu übertragen oder auf einem hochauflösenden Farbrasterdrucker auf Papier oder Folie auszudrucken,
• - über eine an die Vorrichtung angeschlossene Farbfernsehkamera farbige Bilder automatisch an jede beliebige Stelle auch ausschnittsweise in den Bildpunktspeicher zu laden und in einem Fenster der Landkarte auf dem Farbrasterbildschirm darzustellen.

The device for displaying maps has the following function:

• - to load any map present on the mass storage device digital laser disk with the reference coordinate information automatically and immediately from the mass storage device into the pixel storage device in 1 to 2 seconds at the command of the user,
• - automatically load the associated color code / color assignment table into the image coloring unit with a 3 x 8 bit code that enables 2 ²⁴ color tones,
• - to automatically visualize the content of the pixel memory via the inking unit in accordance with the map colors, pixel-accurate and geographically accurate on the high-resolution (1024 x 1024 pixels) color screen,
• - the map area adjacent to the map area visible on the color grid screen automatically load from the mass storage device into the part of the 2048 x 2048 pixel memory that is not visible to the user (see FIG. 11),
• to make the adjacent map area stored in the part of the pixel memory that is not visible to the user automatically visible in any direction when the color screen window is shifted (see FIG. 11),
• - in the part of the pixel memory that is now not visible after the color grid screen window has been moved, the adjacent map areas are automatically reloaded from the mass storage device in 256 x 256 pixel reloading elements and automatically made visible on the color grid screen when this area is reached (see FIG. 11),
• - Automatically read the content of the pixel memory (map and / or additional information) from the pixel memory and either save it on the mass storage device, e.g. for documentation purposes, or transfer it without delay via a fast data link to several local and remote workstations or on a high-resolution color raster printer on paper or print out foil,
• - Via a color television camera connected to the device, color images automatically to any one Place sections of the image to be loaded into the pixel memory and displayed in a window of the map on the color screen.

• Eine zentrale Recheneinheit CPU 1 steuert über den Steuer-Bus alle automatischen Abläufe beim Betrieb der Vorrichtung. Die dazu notwendigen Steuerbefehlslisten befinden sich im Arbeitsspeicher 2. Die zur Bedienung der Vorrichtung notwendigen peripheren Bediengeräte werden über die Bedienschnittstelle 3 angesteuert.

The elements shown in the block diagram (Figure 10) show the following functional sequence in detail:

• A central processing unit CPU 1 controls all automatic processes during the operation of the device via the control bus. The control command lists required for this purpose are located in the working memory 2. The peripheral operating devices required for operating the device are controlled via the user interface 3.

The maps digitized according to the described method are stored on the digital laser disk mass storage device and are loaded into the pixel storage device 6 via the mass storage interface 4 and the graphic display controller 5. At the same time, the associated color code / hue assignment table is loaded into the image coloring unit 7 via the control bus and, via the video AD converter 8, the map image, correctly colored and true to pixels / coordinates, is made visible on the high-resolution color screen. Then follow the same path (mass storage - Mass storage interface 4 - graphic display controller 5 - pixel memory 6), the map areas adjacent to the visible map area loaded into the part of the pixel memory 6 which is invisible to the user.

The CPU 1 controls the shifting of the color grid screen window via the graphic display controller 5, as does the reloading described.

On the way to pixel memory 6 - graphic display controller 5 - mass storage interface 4, maps with additional information located in pixel memory 6 are stored on the mass storage device digital laser disk.

The maps with additional information are transferred to other workstations via the image pixel memory 6 - graphic display controller 5 - mass storage interface 4 - working memory 2 - data transmission interface 9.

The maps with additional information are printed out via the path pixel memory 6 - graphic display controller 5 - mass storage interface 4 - printer interface 10 to the color raster printer.

The images supplied by a color camera are automatically converted into digital signals via the video AD converter 11 and written into the pixel memory 6 at any location or in any window and colored with or without a map via the image coloring unit 7 on the high-resolution color screen shown.

FIG. 11 shows the function of moving the map window of the device for displaying maps. Of the map image of 2048 x 2048 pixels (FIG. 10) loaded in the pixel memory 6, only a section of 1024 x 1024 pixels is visible on the high-resolution color raster monitor. This 1024 x 1024 pixel map window (image section), controlled by CPU 1 and graphic display controller 5, can be continuously moved via the pixel memory 6. If the distance to an edge of the pixel memory 6 is less than when moving, the digital laser mass storage device automatically reloads the map area adjacent to the current edge of the map area contained in the pixel memory 6 into the part of the pixel memory 6 that is not visible to the user.

In order to ensure that reloading takes place at the same speed regardless of the direction of displacement of the map window, the map area is stored in the digital laser disk mass storage in tiles of 256 x 256 pixels and is loaded tile by pixel into the pixel memory 6.

After the reloading process has been completed, the pixel memory edge is automatically shifted in accordance with the map area now loaded and the reloaded map area is visible on the color grid screen when the same is reached by moving the window. With this function, the map window of 1024 x 1024 pixels can be moved continuously over the entire map area stored on the mass storage device digital laser disk.

The device for map display, together with the necessary peripheral devices, represents the map display system as an overall system.

Claims (2)

1. A method for the automatic display of colored maps on a high-resolution color screen of a map display system with pixel memory, in which the black and white printing foils used for printing the maps are automatically displayed on the color screen, characterized in that a) the black / white printing foils of the printing colors of the maps, which are specified on a data carrier, scanned line by line, are automatically stored as data stocks corresponding to the printing colors on a mass storage device arranged in the display system together with a geographical reference coordinate information from the map and then in the Pixel memory (6) are passed on, b) an assignment table predefined for the color code and color tone is automatically entered into an image coloring unit (7) arranged in the display system and c) the content of the pixel memory (6) on the color raster screen via the inking unit (7) the color code of each pixel, the associated color is automatically assigned and superimposed pixel-perfect. 2. Device for performing the method, consisting of map display system with color screen, pixel memory, mass storage, image coloring unit and allocation table according to claim 1, since - characterized in that a) any map present on the mass storage device with the reference coordinate information is automatically and immediately loaded from the mass storage device into the pixel memory (6) at the command of the user, b) the associated color code / shade assignment table is automatically entered into the inking unit (7), c) the content of the pixel memory (6) automatically, colored according to the map colors via the inking unit (7), pixel-precise and geographic is made visible on the high-resolution color grid screen in accordance with the coordinates, d) the map area adjacent to the map area visible on the color raster screen is automatically loaded from the mass storage device into the non-visible part of the pixel memory (6), e) the adjacent map area, which is stored in the part of the pixel memory (6) which is not visible to the user, is automatically made visible in any direction when the color screen window is shifted, f) in the part of the pixel memory (6) which is now not visible to the user after the color grid screen window has been moved, the adjacent map areas are automatically reloaded from the mass memory and made visible on the color grid screen when this area is reached, g) additional information (graphics or alpha-numerics) is automatically placed and displayed geographically in accordance with the coordinates according to the map scale shown as an overlay over the map image on the color grid screen, h) the content of the pixel memory (6) (map and / or additional information) automatically read out of the pixel memory (6) and either on the Mass storage is saved or transferred via a fast data link to several local and distant workplaces without delay or printed out on paper or film on a high-resolution color raster printer, i) via a color television camera connected to the display system, colored images are automatically loaded into the pixel memory (6) at any desired location and are displayed in a window of the map on the color screen.

Images